The prefix number

The scene in ST II from the Reliant's attack to Enterprise's counter-attack is awesome.

Among other things it's nice to see the Enterprise's various bridge operations -- Kirk and Spock first check the damage control panel, then Spock goes to his computer station to get the code, then he goes to the weapons to lower Reliant's shields -- it's not random at all.

But is funny how the code can't have repeated numbers: the buttons (more like switches) don't come back after pressed, see:

If there weren't that many ships in the Starfleet at the time, it might not have been necessary for prefix codes to have repeated numbers yet (which I guess would make each prefix code carefully chosen by people rather than randomly assigned by some computer, IMO).

The prefix code seems like a good idea, but it's only one digit longer than the security code to get into my phone. Hardly seems like the most secure method to prevent hacking. At least they gave starship computer security some thought, though....

The prefix code seems like a good idea, but it's only one digit longer than the security code to get into my phone. Hardly seems like the most secure method to prevent hacking. At least they gave starship computer security some thought, though....

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Well, presumably the codes would be used only by Starfleet officers in an emergency situation, such as when Picard uses the Enterprise computer to gain control of the USS Lantree. As Starfleet is an organization that functions based on trust, it wouldn't be necessary to have lengthy security codes. But your point is well taken.

Shame they forgot about it most of the time. We have plenty of episodes where one starfleet ship is pursuing another and using the prefix code would end the chase quickly. Such as in DSN's "Past Prologue".

There could be countless layers of fractal encryption that an outside (non-Starfleet) computer has to get through just to get to the prefix code. It also may be accessible only from the bridge maybe.

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Or available only to officers of command-level rank or higher. After all, it was Spock who provided Kirk with Reliant's code, as though he had some sort secret code-book from which he took the information.

Shame they forgot about it most of the time. We have plenty of episodes where one starfleet ship is pursuing another and using the prefix code would end the chase quickly. Such as in DSN's "Past Prologue".

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I get the sense it's only used as a last resort, sort of like the auto-destruct. Who knows what it would take to program in a new code, given that it's used to take over all major bridge functions?

Which might just mean that junior officers aren't aware of all the security measures available on a starship. Somebody had to be the cabbage head, and Saavik was the only one who could play that part for the audience.

Which might just mean that junior officers aren't aware of all the security measures available on a starship. Somebody had to be the cabbage head, and Saavik was the only one who could play that part for the audience.

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Which only proves my point. If a Starfleet cadet or junior officer doesn't know of the prefix code's existence, why would a criminal from the twentieth century? That Spock assumed Khan could not only know of the code but be able to reprogram it speaks to his respect for Khan's intellect. He follows up his suggestion that Khan changed the code by saying, "He's quite intelligent."

Yes, it does. If Khan could look up the code, then Spock's fear that he might have changed it suggests that it is possible to change it in the field, on the fly, with only the resources normally aboard a starship. Spock wouldn't have suggested the possibility otherwise.

Yes, it does. If Khan could look up the code, then Spock's fear that he might have changed it suggests that it is possible to change it in the field, on the fly, with only the resources normally aboard a starship. Spock wouldn't have suggested the possibility otherwise.

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Only the resources normally aboard a starship? It seems to me that there are a lot of resources normally available aboard a starship. In any case, that doesn't mean that it's easy to do. Khan possessed advanced intelligence that almost certainly enabled him to do things that most people couldn't even dream of.

Khan's intelligence isn't magical. He is smart, not omnipotent. When he was brought aboard in "Space Seed", they let him have access to the entire ship's library. That gave him a lot of insight into Starfleet capabilities and operations. If he had bothered to do the same thing again after capturing Reliant, he might have won.

As for changing the prefix code, it could be anything from simply telling the computer to change it (he had Captain Terrell under his thumb to do it if he needed a senior officer to do so) to some major hardware swapping. We don't know what it takes, just that it can be done in the field.

As for changing the prefix code, it could be anything from simply telling the computer to change it (he had Captain Terrell under his thumb to do it if he needed a senior officer to do so) to some major hardware swapping. We don't know what it takes, just that it can be done in the field.